In the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 1993 and the age of consent was equalised to 16 in 2012. The Supreme Court of Gibraltar ruled in April 2013 that same-sex couples have the right to adopt. Civil partnerships have been available for both same-sex and opposite sex couples since March 2014.

In Gibraltar, the age of consent for all sexual activity regardless of sexuality and/or gender was equalised at 16 in April 2011, when under Supreme Court order the previous law – under which the age of consent for gay males was 18 – was found to be unconstitutional. Heterosexual anal sex was decriminalised at the same time and the age of consent set at 16.[1] Gay male sexual conduct was decriminalised in 1993.

We recommend that the Government should take steps to ensure that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender status is made illegal in all overseas territories.[7]

On 18 May 2009, the Gibraltar Parliament approved by Government majority leave for a Private member's bill, proposed by the Minister for Justice, to equalise the age of consent. This was opposed by the GSLP/Liberal opposition for technical reasons due to the way the Bill was written. The Government gave its Members of Parliament a free vote on the Bill. It was defeated, as the Government members were split on its approval, and the opposition members all voted against it.

On 1 October 2009, new proposed legislation would enable the Government of Gibraltar to ask the Supreme Court to test whether existing or draft laws are compatible with the Constitution. This would provide a simplified, purpose-built mechanism to deal with contentious issues such as the age of consent.[9]

In March 2010, the Government of Gibraltar was seeking an opinion from Court of the age of consent legal issue to see if the law is discrimination under the principles of the European Council.[10][11]

On 8 April 2011, the Supreme Court of Gibraltar ruled that a higher age of consent of 18 for all gay sex was deemed unconstitutional, and thus mandated an equal age of consent of 16. Also at the same time decriminalised heterosexual anal sex and set the age of consent at 16 for that as well.[1]

In August 2011, the gender-neutral Crimes Act 2011 was approved, which sets an equal age of consent of 16 regardless of sexual orientation, and reflects the recent Supreme Court decision in statute or law.[16] The law took effect on 23 November 2012.[17]

On 10 April 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that section 5 (2) of the Adoption Act was in violation of the Gibraltar Constitution thus in effect, de jure legalising LGBT adoption in Gibraltar. The Government has announced that they plan to amend the law as soon as possible and the Care Agency will take appropriate measures to allow gay couples to adopt.[18][19]

In January 2014, the Civil Partnership Bill 2014 was published for community consultation and headed for the introduction to the Gibraltar Parliament.[20] On 21 March, the bill was approved by the parliament.[21] The bill was given Royal Assent on 25 March. The law and related rules and regulations took effect on 28 March.[22][23][24][25] The law also allows adoption of children by couples in a civil partnership.

Additionally, lesbian couples can get access to artificial insemination.

The 2006 Constitution does not mention sexual orientation. The proposals, made public early March 2002, specifically omitted direct reference to "sexual orientation" as a category to be constitutionally protected. Other categories are clearly included.[26]

The Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party government elected in 2011, has announced plans to include sexual orientation under the goods and services anti-discrimination section (sexual orientation is already covered in anti-discrimination law under employment since 2005). A bill is yet to be drafted.

The bill to amend the Crimes Act 2011, that will criminalise both hatred and harassment on the ground of sexual orientation as a hate crime, was approved by the Gibraltar Parliament on 19 September 2013 and given Royal Assent on 25 September. The law took effect on 10 October 2013.[27][17]